Tremors 1, New Haven Open love (video)

Published 12:00 am, Tuesday, August 23, 2011

A New Haven Open at Yale offical interrupts Jelena Jankovic's match to inform her she must vacate the premises due to the earthquake Tuesday. Peter Casolino/Register

A New Haven Open at Yale offical interrupts Jelena Jankovic's match to inform her she must vacate the premises due to the earthquake Tuesday. Peter Casolino/Register

Tremors 1, New Haven Open love (video)

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NEW HAVEN -- Tremors from the 5.8 magnitude earthquake that originated in Richmond, Va., stopped play at the New Haven Open at Yale for several hours Tuesday and left tennis tournament attendees wandering around the food court area as they anxiously waited for the matches to restart.

Tennis fans began filing out of the main stadium and the grandstand seconds after they felt the tremors, and patrons that remained were evacuated by event staff about 10 minutes after the earth stopped shaking.

Florida resident Tim Gaccione was watching a match in the main stadium when the tremor began to shake the court.

"I felt dizzy, and I saw the glass on the suites shaking and people started grabbing onto chairs," he said. "People were walking around frantically trying to leave the stadium."

About 15 minutes after the tremor shook the New Haven Open grounds, an announcer came on the loudspeaker and instructed tournament staff still on the grandstand bleachers to sit as close to the ground as possible in case of an aftershock. The crowd from the main stadium was led to an area about 20 feet outside the entryway's iron grate, and, later, staff pushed the crowd back another 40 feet as the local Fire Department examined the stadium for structural integrity.

"I was in the championship suite and I felt a swish," said Southington resident Bob Whyte.

Julius Fabrini of New Britain said he was sitting in aluminum seats that started swaying.

"I just thought that thing was going to collapse," he said.

The tournament-goers who were evacuated from the tennis center were happy to oblige the event staff leading them out, said Kevin Barrett, an usher.

"We were in the southeast corner at the top of the box seats and we were watching the match and started wobbling. I thought 'Do I feel OK?' Then we heard the side of the structure creaking. I turned to the people around me and suggested that we leave," he said.

Another usher, Mike Bartone, said after patrons were waiting around for an hour and a half, they were getting anxious to see some more tennis, but he didn't see anyone who was unhappy as a result of the delay.

"Everyone is a little upset, but once the Fire Department gets here and gives the OK for the building, everyone will be all right," said tournament attendee Pat Kovzel shortly after she felt the tremor.

The vending areas inside the stadium remained empty for the few hours that authorities were inspecting the buildings, and patrons roamed around the food court during the delay.

Westbrook resident Pauline Reut was already in the food court when the quake was felt in New Haven.

"We were in the food court when it happened, and we just looked at each other like, 'What is going on?', and I thought maybe construction," she said.

Her husband, Nick Reut, said he knew the movement was caused by an earthquake because "nothing else could do that."

Numerous tennis tournament attendees commented that they felt dizzy or faint when they felt the tremors, but were under the impression that the heat caused them to feel ill.

Shortly after 3 p.m., tournament Director Anne Worcester announced that the New Haven building inspector and fire marshal entered the main stadium building and the engineering department would be on their way soon to further inspect the structure. Play resumed at about 4:30 p.m.